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Shoelace killer dies after collapse in cell

A man who strangled a young mother with a shoelace died after being found collapsed in his cell at a high-security prison, it has been revealed.

Killer Paul Culshaw, formerly of Penrith, had been told by a judge that he would never be released from prison after a jury unanimously found him guilty of the sexually-motivated killing of Clare Benson-Jowry.

The 45-year-old was found collapsed in his cell at Frankland Prison in Durham City on Tuesday.

He was taken to the University Hospital of North Durham, but died early on Wednesday – apparently of natural causes.

A Durham Police spokesman said today: “We can confirm that Paul Culshaw was found collapsed in his cell.

“He was taken to the University Hospital of North Durham, where he died later the same day.

“Police do not believe there are any suspicious circumstances.”

A jury sitting at Preston Crown Court in February 2005 was told that Ms Benson-Jowry was last seen alive entering the block where Culshaw lived on Austwick Road, Lancaster.

Ms Benson-Jowry was described as an attractive and well-liked young woman, with a drug addiction she had tried to overcome. Several weeks after her disappearance police found her near-naked remains in a bedroom.

She had been strangled with a shoelace tightened with a fork.

Culshaw, who had a previous conviction for attempted murder, was told by judge Mr Justice Hughes: “The overwhelming likelihood is that you killed her to stop her revealing the very serious sexual assault you carried out on her.”

Culshaw, who had lived in Penrith with his wife and lived rough near the town while on the run, had denied murdering the 23-year-old claiming he panicked after finding her dead.

His previous convictions included one for rape.

He was jailed for three-and-a-half years for the crime in 1985.

Then in 1988, he carried out an attempted murder and indecent assault of a woman, for which he received 10 years.